Bridle-bit and its connections.



` i PATENTBD AUG. 7, 190,6.4 s. PoLLooK. BRIDLE BIT AND ITscoNNEoTIoNs.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1905.

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BRIDLEBIT lAND ITS CONNECTIONSL Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 7, 1906.

Application filed J'uly 10, 1905. Serial No. 269,029.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL PoLLoox, a

citizen of the United States, residing in Brighton township, in the county of Washington and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bridle-Bits and Their Connections, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices whereby horses may be readily controlled. by the bit and without the use of strength beyond that of any ordinary person. It involves the use of a bit that may be radically changed in its action by pulling upon overcheck-reins and means whereby merely pulling strongly upon the reins while they are held in the usual way automatically changes the action of the bit. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bridle provided with the novel bit to which novel reins are attached and arranged in a novel way. Fig. 2 shows in elevation a front view of the bit with the parts in position which they assume under a strong pull. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through a portion of one of the reins.

In the drawings, Arepresents a bridle ofv common general form and construction; B, the bit O, overcheck-reins, and D reins passing rearward from the bit in the usual manner.

The bit consists of two rings or cheekieces F, two normally contiguous parallel bars E E@ and two links O. Each ring has an approximately vertical way, shown in this lnstance as formed by parallel bars F', extending across the rings. Each link C lies normally flat against the outer side of the corresponding ring., with its central crossbar OZ just above the lower side of the latter. One end of each bit-bar E E is attached to the lower side of the corresponding cheekpiece, and its opposite end is pivotally connected to the cross-bar of the opposite link, the bit-bars passing between the bars F and prevented from withdrawing by the link itself.

The reins D are attached to the cheekpieces and extend rearward to the hands of the rider or driver. That ortion of each which is to be gras ed is ma e tubular, compressible, and highIy elastic in a longitudinal direction, being made, for example, of extensible fabric inclosin rubber. The overcheck-reins are attac ed to the upper ends of the links C', respectively, and carried up through ordinary runners, and thence through the tubular portions of the reins Ordinarily the check-reins slide freely in the tubular sections just mentioned, the slight pressure of the hands being insufhcient to compress the tubes, and as there is no pull upward upon the links the bit-bars lie paral el and side by side in the mouth of the horse as if they constituted a simple straight bar. The

vslight pull exerted by the reins D u on the cheek-pieces in guiding the` horse as no tendency to separate the bit-bars, which thus cause the horse no discomfort whatever. If, however, the horse attempts to run away or for other reason needs restraint, the driver naturally pulls strongly upon the reins and in so doing necessarily gripsthe tubular portions firmly. These portions are thus compressed upon the check-reins within, and the latter are thus firmly held, and since the tubular part in front of the hands is elastic the pull upon the reins D is yielding, while that upon the check-reins is positive and much stron er. The consequence is that the free ends o the bit-bars are drawn up and the cheek-pieces are drawn inward, as shown in Fig. 2. If the pull be strong, the bit is practically an instrument of torture, the effect of which varies directly with the ull, and hence the animal quickly ceases pu ling or, in other words, stops. The instant the pull ceases the parts automatically return to normal position, the bit becoming again the easiest or most comfortable form of bit.

What I claim is- 1. The combination with a rein having that portion usually grasped by the driver highly elastic, of a second approximately inelastic rein having its corresponding portion secured alon side and in slidlng contact with the portion st mentioned.

2. The combination with a bridle having near its upper part rein-guides approximately in the plane bisecting the angle o the jaws of the animal driven and provided with a bit adapted to torture when certain arts are drawn upward toward said guides, of) drivingreins extending directly rearward from the bit and having their hand-grasped portions tubular, elastic, and readily extensible and compressible, and approximately inelastic emergency driving-reins extending upward IOO from the bit through said guides, respecby the saine When the latter is gripped tively, and thence rearward and through the strongly vand thereby compressed. 1o tubular portions of the direct reins. In testimony whereof I afIiX my signature 3.V The combination With a rein having a in presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses. compressible, tubular, longitudinally-elastic SAMUEL POLLOCK. portlon in position to be grasped by the hand Witnesses: of the driver or rider7 of a second rein sliding CARROLL DEEDs, in said portion and adapted to be firmly held MYRTLE LA MOTTE. 

